Via Audio was formed in 2003 in between classes at the infamous Berklee College of Music in Boston. After releasing a self-titled EP on the small independent Kill Normal Records in 2004, the band first garnered attention when Death Cab for Cutie’s guitarist Chris Walla dubbed them his “new favorite band,” in his column for Under the Radar Magazine.
They soon after caught the attention of Spoon drummer Jim Eno, who would become their longtime producer, collaborator and comrade. With Eno’s help behind the board, Via Audio released their first full-length, Say Something, in 2007 on California-based indie label Sidecho Records. Pitchfork Media described Say Something as having “such a beautiful gloss over everything that it sticks, hurts, and feels delicious" and the album received accolades from Spin, Nylon, Under the Radar, Alternative Press, theTripwire, and Stereogum, among others. The band has since toured the U.S. and Japan alongside the likes of Spoon, White Rabbits, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Ha Ha Tonka, and Modern Skirts, making appearances at the South By Southwest, Monolith, and CMJ festivals.
Shutting themselves up again in Eno’s Austin, Texas home studio in 2009, the group tackled their latest songbook- the lo-fi electronics of “Digital,” the soul-infused funk of “Goldrush,” the ethereal surf-lament of “Wanted,” the glittery R&B pop of “Babies”- as Eno carefully and artfully crafted different sonic palettes for each unique song on Animalore. The result is an album that plays like a pop-up book for adults, bursting with vivid colors and secret corridors at the turn of every page.
Presents
Via Audio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I’ll still throw all of them out
It takes two to put out
Lights that shine around us
Don’t you want to try this
Darkness won’t destroy us
Oh oh
We’ll open and divide
Some kind of pretense keeps us friends, for a while
I’m always staring at your smile
I’m always staring at your smile
Yeah it drives me wild
It takes two to put out
Lights that shine around us
Don’t you want to try this
Darkness won’t destroy us
Oh oh
It takes two to put out
Lights that shine around us
Don’t you want to try this
Darkness won’t destroy us
Oh oh
The lyrics of "Presents" by Via Audio express conflicting emotions of love and frustration. The phrase "Sending all your presents down, I'll still throw all of them out" reflects the rejection of material possessions in the face of a failed relationship. The singer is acknowledging that the gifts may have once been meaningful, but they are now just symbols of something that has ended. The repetition of the line "It takes two to put out" emphasizes the idea that both people in the relationship have to work to keep the love alive. The metaphor of lights shining around them conveys a sense of hope and possibility, but the singer is also conscious of the potential for darkness and destruction. The lyrics suggest that the singer is still interested in pursuing the relationship, despite the challenges they face.
In the next section of the song, the lyrics seem to be describing a superficial friendship that is being maintained as a way of avoiding the pain of a breakup. The line "Some kind of pretense keeps us friends, for a while" suggests that the singer is aware that the friendship is not genuine, but is still willing to go along with it. The repetition of the line "I'm always staring at your smile" conveys a sense of longing and desire, even as the singer is trying to move on from the romantic relationship. The repeated use of the word "wild" adds to the sense of conflicting emotions, as it can be interpreted as either positive or negative depending on the context.
Overall, "Presents" by Via Audio is a complex and nuanced exploration of love, loss, and the challenges of maintaining relationships. The lyrics reflect a sense of uncertainty and conflict, but also suggest that there is hope for the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Sending all your presents down
Despite receiving all the gifts you send, I have no interest in keeping them
I’ll still throw all of them out
I will still discard all the presents, as I do not appreciate them
It takes two to put out
The effort required to overcome a problem often involves more than one person
Lights that shine around us
The illumination that surrounds us may aid us in seeing things that were previously hidden
Don’t you want to try this
Are you not curious about experiencing what I am feeling?
Darkness won’t destroy us
We will not allow the difficulties in our lives to consume us
We’ll open and divide
We will share and separate our belongings
Some kind of pretense keeps us friends, for a while
There is an unspoken understanding of our relationship that allows us to remain friends, if only temporarily
I’m always staring at your smile
I am always drawn to the pleasant expression on your face
Yeah it drives me wild
It excites me in a passionate and unpredictable way
Contributed by Joshua F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jessica Martins
on Setup
These are the lyrics to “Setup”, not Mouth Shut - also, the last line is actually “Well, what about me?” (I am the songwriter!)